Substitute for Olive Oil: Practical Swaps for Cooking, Baking, and Dipping

For cooking and baking, swap any mild liquid oil for olive oil one to one: canola, sunflower, avocado or plain vegetable oil all work. For sautéing, melted butter or ghee also does the job at medium heat. In raw dishes like dressings and bread dips the swap shows, because olive oil's flavor is the point, so pick a substitute with character and season a little harder.

Here is how each swap behaves, what ratio to use, and what you give up, so dinner still comes out well. Where a swap is a compromise, we say so, because you will notice it at the table.

Swaps at a glance

Sautéing, roasting and searing

This is where a swap hurts least. A neutral oil gives you the same browning with a milder flavor, so add a pinch more salt, some garlic or a squeeze of lemon at the end to put life back. Avocado oil is the gentlest of the group for searing fish or chicken, and canola or sunflower are fine for sheet-pan vegetables, even in a 425°F oven. Pat vegetables dry and give them room on the pan, because crowding steams them whatever oil you use.

Butter and ghee bring their own flavor. Butter scorches earlier than oil because of its milk solids, so keep the heat at medium and add a spoonful of oil to the pan if it starts to darken too fast. Ghee has no milk solids and tolerates more heat, which makes it a good stand-in for spice-heavy cooking. If you are weighing butter against oil the other way around, our post on when to use olive oil instead of butter covers it.

Baking

Muffins, snack cakes and quick breads that call for olive oil take a neutral oil at the same measure with no other changes. The crumb stays moist, and you lose the faint fruity note. A teaspoon of lemon zest or vanilla helps fill the gap. As a worked example, a loaf that calls for 1/3 cup of olive oil takes 1/3 cup of canola, or 1/3 cup plus about 1 tablespoon of melted butter.

Melted butter works too. Use about a quarter more by volume, because butter contains water, and expect the cake to firm up as it cools. Melted coconut oil works the same way, but have your eggs and milk at room temperature so it does not clump when it hits the batter. For applesauce, replace only half the oil at first. Fat is what keeps a batter tender, and removing all of it can turn a loaf rubbery. We cover the broader question in our post on swapping olive oil and vegetable oil.

Dressings and marinades

A basic vinaigrette is three parts oil to one part acid, plus a little mustard and salt. With a mild oil, the dressing tastes thinner, so lean on what you have: minced shallot, a spoonful of honey, fresh herbs, a good vinegar. Walnut oil shines on bitter greens with pears and goat cheese, and since it is strong, mix it half and half with a neutral oil. Toasted sesame oil is a seasoning, not a base, so use one part to three parts neutral oil.

A swap vinaigrette worth memorizing: 3 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon mustard and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mustard and acid first, then stream in the oil, so the dressing holds together instead of splitting on the salad.

For marinades the oil mostly carries flavor and keeps meat from drying, so a neutral oil does the job. Use about 1/4 cup per pound of chicken or vegetables, with acid, garlic and herbs doing the talking.

If dressings are your weekly routine, it is worth keeping one bottle on the counter that does the work for you. Our Picual extra virgin olive oil is a good all-rounder: its page lists tropical, herbal aromas, green flavors like artichoke and tomato leaf, and a peppery finish, with a December 2, 2025 harvest date. The page suggests it for dipping, salads, hummus, tomato sauces and drizzling over vegetables.

Bread dipping and finishing

This is the one place where no substitute matches fresh extra virgin olive oil. The grassy aroma, the bitterness and the peppery catch come from the olives, and seed oils do not have them. If you must improvise, warm a little butter or ghee with garlic and herbs and dip into that, or use walnut oil with flaky salt for a nutty plate. Those are good in their own right. They are just not the same dish. Add crushed red pepper, grated lemon zest or chopped rosemary to either one and the plate feels intentional.

FAQ

Can I sauté with water or broth instead of oil?

Yes, for softening onions and vegetables. Use two or three tablespoons of water or stock and add more as it cooks off. You will not get browning or the same richness, so it suits soups and stews better than seared dishes.

Does cooking spray work as a substitute?

It works for greasing a pan or lightly coating vegetables, but not as an ingredient in a recipe that needs measured oil for texture.

Do nut oils need any care?

Yes. Walnut and almond oils go off faster than olive oil, so keep them in the fridge once opened, and check with guests about nut allergies before serving them. Peanut oil needs the same warning.

Which swap tastes closest to olive oil?

Avocado oil comes closest in mild, buttery feel, and a little lemon juice or chopped herbs gets you nearer. The bitterness and pepper of fresh extra virgin oil are what you will miss.

If you are out of oil tonight, use the chart above and carry on. When you restock, look through our full olive oil collection for a bottle you will want on the counter, and a flavored oil or two for nights when you would rather not think about seasoning. Our flavored olive oil ideas are a good place to start.